Arkansas: Three Novellas

by David Leavitt

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Here are three novellas of escape and exile, touching and funny and at times calculatedly outrageous. In "Saturn Street," a disaffected L.A. screenwriter delivers lunches to homebound AIDS patients, only to find himself falling in love with one of them. In "The Wooden Anniversary," Nathan and Celia - familiar characters from Leavitt's story collections - reunite after a five-year separation. And in "The Term-Paper Artist," a writer named David Leavitt, hiding out at his father's house in the show more aftermath of a publishing scandal, experiences literary rejuvenation when he agrees to write term papers for UCLA undergraduates in exchange for sex. show less

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Member Reviews

6 reviews
David Leavitt's reputation has rested upon stories and novels that explicate a sedate, upper-middle class world of reserved emotions and sexuality. In his new collection of three novellas Arkansas, he explores new territory. Droll, surprising, and very sexy, these works often shock and startle the reader.
I liked the first story much more than the other two. But it was nice to read novellas instead of full-blown novels or short stories.
I liked the first story much more than the other two. But it was nice to read novellas instead of full-blown novels or short stories.
Really enjoyed two of three short stories. Would recommend this quick little read
extraordinary use of language; great writer

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Author Information

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59+ Works 8,768 Members
David Leavitt's first collection of stories, "Family Dancing," was a finalist for both the National Book Critics Circle Award & the PEN/Faulkner Prize. "The Lost Language of Cranes" was made into a BBC film, & "While England Sleeps" was shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Fiction Prize. Leavitt is also the author of "Equal Affections," "A Place show more I've Never Been," "Arkansas," & "The Page Turner." With Mark Mitchell, he coedited "The Penguin Book of Short Stories" & "The Pages Passed from Hand to Hand" & cowrote "Italian Pleasures." He is recipient of fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation & the National Endowment for the Arts. He divides his time between Italy and Florida. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

Common Knowledge

Original publication date
1997
People/Characters
David Leavitt (character in first novella)
Important places
Los Angeles, California, USA; Italy; Arkansas, USA; California, USA; USA
Epigraph*
"I should like to flee
like a wounded hart
into Arkansas."

attributed to Oscar Wilde,
near the end of his life
Dedication*
FOR
MARK MITCHELL
First words*
I was in trouble.
Last words*
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Anywhere's always been my favorite place."
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.

Classifications

Genres
LGBTQ+, Fiction and Literature, General Fiction
DDC/MDS
813.54Literature & rhetoricAmerican literature in EnglishAmerican fiction in English1900-19991945-1999
LCC
PS3562 .E2618 .A89Language and LiteratureAmerican literatureAmerican literatureIndividual authors1961-
BISAC

Statistics

Members
488
Popularity
61,756
Reviews
5
Rating
½ (3.54)
Languages
6 — Dutch, English, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
14
UPCs
2
ASINs
3